English Phrasal Verbs Come Back and Go Back (video)

The English phrasal verbs “come back” and “go back” are often confused because the meanings are almost the same.

Both of these phrasal verbs are synonyms for “return,” but they are used differently depending on the speaker’s location. Watch the video below to get a better understanding of these differences, they try the exercise.

Come Back and Go Back Phrasal Verb Exercise

Use a form of “come back” or “go back” to answer each of these.

1. We ____ ___ from Argentina in 2010.

2. I ___ ____ home after the concert.

3. My parents don’t want me to ___ ___ to South America.

4. When do you think the Olympics will ____ ____ to the United States.

5. João lived in the United States for 3 years, then ____ ___ to the Brazil, where he was born.

Matej…Number 3 should be in present tense: go back. Also number 4 should be ‘come back’ because the speaker is speaking from the United States. Number 5 is ‘went back’ because the speaker is NOT in Brazil but talking about Joao who went back to Brazil.

Francis

1. We ____ came back ___ from Argentina in 2010.

2. I ___ came back ____ home after the concert.

3. My parents don’t want me to ___ go back ___ to South America.

4. When do you think the Olympics will ____ come back____ to the United States.

5. João lived in the United States for 3 years, then ____ he came back___ to the Brazil, where he was born

LOIEnglish

Francis…Good work. The only trouble was with the last question. Question 5: went back.
The reference is at the end of the sentence, where he was born. It indicates to us that the narrator is not in Brazil.